text:
Bradley Knox
House Committee on Small Business
Charles W. Wessner
National Research Council
Briefly introducing the speakers for the day's second panel, Stefan Kuhlmann, Heikki Kotilainen, and Peter Nicholson, Mr. Knox thanked all three for traveling considerable distances and said those in attendance were anticipating their contributions with interest and excitement. He called on Dr. Kuhlman to present first.
Stefan Kuhlmann
Fraunhofer ISI, Germany
Dr. Kuhlmann expressed gratitude at being offered a chance to participate in what he characterized as an interesting and challenging event being held in an environment that was impressive both institutionally and architecturally. He said that he had been asked to speak about the status of research in Germany and the country's research innovation system, whose development is increasingly becoming part of a European research system.
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Innovation Policies for the 21st Century: Report of a Symposium
Panel II
New National Models
Bradley Knox
House Committee on Small Business
Charles W. Wessner
National Research Council
Briefly introducing the speakers for the day's second panel, Stefan Kuhlmann, Heikki Kotilainen, and Peter Nicholson, Mr. Knox thanked all three for traveling considerable distances and said those in attendance were anticipating their contributions with interest and excitement. He called on Dr. Kuhlman to present first.
Stefan Kuhlmann
Fraunhofer ISI, Germany
Dr. Kuhlmann expressed gratitude at being offered a chance to participate in what he characterized as an interesting and challenging event being held in an environment that was impressive both institutionally and architecturally. He said that he had been asked to speak about the status of research in Germany and the country's research innovation system, whose development is increasingly becoming part of a European research system.
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Dr. Kuhlmann then outlined a presentation that was structured in four parts. Part one laid out the strengths and weaknesses of the German innovation system. Part two briefly introduced the governance structure of innovative research in Germany and the related institutional landscape. Part three delved into innovation policy and programs, at both the level of the German federal government and the level of the Länder, which in the German context was the equivalent of the U.S. state level. Part four considered a number of current developments and challenges for the future.
Strengths of Germany's Innovation System
Germany's strength is that it has been and continues to be highly "innovation oriented." Its gross R&D expenditures have been running at just under 55 billion euros, or around 2.5 percent of GDP. Quite strong in the 1980s, the country's spending on R&D had fallen during the early 1990s in conjunction with reunification but has been increasing in recent years. Companies account for 66 percent of R&D expenditure, a considerable share in Dr. Kuhlmann's view, and Germany leads the European Union (EU) in the percentage of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) innovating in-house. Germany's 14.9 percent of the world market for R&D-intensive goods places it second behind the United States, and it is in the EU's top three in share of manufacturing sales attributed to new products. Its number of patent applications per inhabitant, 127, is second-highest among large countries, and it ranks third among all nations in international publications with 9 percent of the total.
Dr. Kuhlmann noted that in 2001, business provided the largest share of R&D financing by far, followed by the federal and Länder governments. A small amount of R&D expenditure came from abroad, from either the European Commission or private-sector sources, which had been funding R&D to be performed in Germany with growing frequency. Business dominated performance of R&D as well, followed by the higher-education sector and by nonuniversity research institutions, the latter being a feature typical of the German system and one that he promised to return to later in his talk.
Germany's Weaknesses
Calling the persistence of risk-averse behavior among banks one of the major weaknesses of the German research system, Dr. Kuhlman noted that financing innovation has become increasingly difficult, especially for SMEs. He then listed some of Germany's other weaknesses:
It is suffering a clear loss of momentum in some, although not all, of the high-tech sectors in which it had been strong—among them, pharmaceuticals, computers, electronics, and aircraft.
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Its technological performance has come to depend increasingly on the automotive sector.
East Germany and Berlin together eat up nearly one-quarter of the 9 billion euro federal research budget while employing only 11 percent of the country's R&D personnel and accounting for only 6 percent of its patent production. Yet, East Germany is "not very strong in competitive and innovation terms" despite the amount of money invested there.
The performance of Germany's educational system, long considered quite strong, has declined to the point that Dr. Kuhlmann talked of a "crisis" and envisaged an expensive restructuring.
The growth of the public sector's R&D spending is lagging that of the private sector over two decades ending in 2001. More recent data would show a slight increase in public and some stagnation in business R&D investment, he noted.
Governance Structure of the German Innovation System
Turning to the complex governance structure of Germany's system of innovative research, Dr. Kuhlmann listed three levels in descending order—Federal (National), Länder (State), and Regional (substate groupings)—that he said were overarched by an "increasingly relevant" Supranational level, represented specifically by the European Union.
Existing on the national level in Germany, exemplifying a phenomenon found in many European countries, is "a kind of competition" between the Federal Ministry of Research and Education and the Federal Ministry of Economics and Labor. Although there is collaboration within the government, there is some duplication as well, and it is not clear who was in charge of research, technological development, and innovation. At the state level, interstate competition mirroring that found in the United States is on the rise. Relations between the federal government and the Länder are marked by "coopetition," with initiatives at the two levels sometimes in conflict, sometimes complementary. The regional level depends on the federal and state levels for investment.
While governance at the European level is gaining in importance, the role of EU investments is of greater relative significance in the smaller nations among the EU-25. Germany, Dr. Kuhlmann estimated, receives some 5 percent of the R&D funding that comes through EU channels. Still, there are exceptions according to sector: In information and communications technology (ICT) in Germany, where national programs had not been very strong, EU funding has played a more important role than in other areas. Despite much discussion of "subsidiarity"—as complementarity among initiatives at the EU, national, and state or Länder levels was called in official EU parlance—there is, in practice, a great deal of both overlap and confusion.
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The Institutional Landscape of German Research
Dr. Kuhlmann noted that the German research system's institutional landscape varies from basic to applied research, with funding sources spanning from public to private organizations. While industry, which contributes the lion's share of the country's R&D investment, is mainly occupied with applied research, it also participates in some areas of fundamental research. Universities receive state and federal funding, though they increasingly receive money from industry and conducted applied as well as basic research. The 8 billion euros received by universities covers research as well as teaching.
Dr. Kuhlmann then focused specifically on the nonuniversity research institutions: the Max Planck Society (MPG), which does excellent basic research; the Helmholz-Gemeinschaft (HGF), a national organization with 15 major centers doing research in many fields and particularly in "problem-driven" areas; and his own organization, the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft (FhG), which does applied research on a contract basis and receives a small amount of institutional funding. Problems beset collaboration among the actors occupying the contract-research area, he said. But collaboration with industry is "quite well developed" and, as such, no longer the issue it was in the 1980s and 1990s.
He next turned to the basic mechanisms of federal R&D funding in Germany. The leading category, at nearly 47 percent of the total, is "institutional funding," which goes to such nonuniversity research organizations as Max Planck, Helmholz, and Fraunhofer. Project funding, routed through programs at the federal level, represents 40 percent; its share, greater in the 1980s, decreased through the 1990s as institutional funding rose. The role of project and program funding in innovation policy is thus exhibiting some shrinkage in Germany, although not to the point that it has lost its relevance.
Innovation Policy Programs: BMBF
The two main providers of funds at the national level, as mentioned above, are the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, or BMBF (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung), and the Federal Ministry of Economics and Labor, or BMWA (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit). The BMBF supports a broad variety of technology and innovation programs—so broad, in fact, as to be difficult to track.
For this reason, said Dr. Kuhlmann, presenting a full list of these thematic programs is infeasible. Although there are official lists, none of these lists reflects a precise technology or innovation program. He and coworkers therefore assembled a table (Figure 8), that encompasses 3.4 billion euros' worth of programs. These range from biotechnology and nanotechnology programs to initiatives on new materials and electronics. Some fund technological research, but many contain an element of innovation support. This element, when present, owes its
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FIGURE 8 Innovation policy programs, federal level: BMBF (selection).
SOURCE: Adapted from Federal Budget BMBF 2003, BMBF 2004.
existence in large part to the programs' having been conceptualized as cooperative; that is, as a basic precondition for getting them funded, they have to include some degree of collaboration between researchers from the public sector, including academia, and industry.
The table's remaining categories are likewise incomplete, Dr. Kuhlmann said, and for similar reasons. Among them was the InnoRegio program, which is aimed at networking in regions of eastern Germany. Also listed were: "Innovative Regional Growth Poles," a program similar to InnoRegio; support for research in the Fachhochschulen (FH3), or universities of applied sciences; and EXIST, which helps universities develop a startup-friendly climate. He pointed out that a significant feature of this admittedly incomplete table is that funding for the four programs aimed specifically at innovation is small compared to funding for the thematic programs.
Innovation Policy Programs: BMWA
Next came a comparable table showing innovation-policy programs run by the BMWA (Figure 9), which, as mentioned earlier, is to some extent in competition with the BMBF. Heading the list is a program focused on innovation in East Germany, followed by the largest program in monetary terms, FoKo/Pro Inno, which targets collaborative work in innovation by SMEs. The next two programs were of similar size: The Promotion of Joint Industrial Research, a bottom-up research funding mechanism driven by industry and cofunded by the
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FIGURE 9 Innovation policy programs, federal level: BMWA (selection).
SOURCE: Adapted from Federal Budget BMBF 2003, BMBF 2004.
ministry; and the European Recovery Innovation Program, which provides loans to innovating companies. Rounding out the table—which, like that for BMBA, is incomplete—are a pair of very small programs, InnoNet and NEMO, the latter an acronym standing for Network Management East Germany. Critics deride this profusion of programs in Germany as an "innovation-policy funding jungle" and claim that no one can understand it fully, a charge both ministries rejected. While acknowledging that, as a political scientist, he had his own ideas about the origin and development of this funding structure, Dr. Kuhlmann said that on the present occasion he would keep them to himself.
Programs Run by the Länder
Conceding that it would only deepen the complexity of the policy picture, he then turned to the Länder, which are responsible for funding and operating the nation's universities, the latter traditionally receiving most of the research money available to the former for distribution. But the Länder are increasingly going beyond supporting university research to set up programs designed to:
spur technology development by funding both single-organization and cooperative R&D;
foster technology transfer, including transfer of personnel;
support startup companies by providing consulting, coaching, incubation, and financial assistance;
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furnish venture capital and loan guarantees;
encourage patenting activities; and
participate in technology parks and incubators.
Huge differences in investment existed from state to state. But while, for example, Bavaria accounts for just over one-fifth of total nonuniversity research spending by the Länder and Saarland for a mere 0.5 percent, EU and other sources supplement funding in weaker regions.
Program Anatomy: Pro Inno
Dr. Kuhlmann chose two examples from this broad variety of programs to examine in detail. The BMWA's Pro Inno, which had been running for more than 10 years and through which 630 million euros were invested in the period 1999-2003, has as its goal increasing the R&D capability and competences of SMEs. This is to be achieved through collaboration on not only a national but also an international level. By this he meant that German companies could receive money in support of efforts involving partners outside the country. Pointing this out as "an interesting feature" of the program, he said that "internationalization is now understood as a relevant part of future R&D policies." Subsidies under Pro Inno run at between 25 and 50 percent of the cost of R&D personnel ranging across four program lines—cooperation with firms, cooperation with research organizations, R&D contracts, and personnel exchange—with multiple applications totaling up to 350,000 euros per firm allowed.
Since 1999, 4,850 firms and 240 research organizations have participated, with 4,000 R&D employees per year engaged in Pro Inno projects. A past evaluation in 2002 had shown that some three-fourths of participating firms would not have conducted the R&D had it not been for the program; Dr. Kuhlmann and colleagues were preparing an updated evaluation due later in 2005.
Considered one of Germany's most significant R&D programs, Pro Inno is widely known and accepted among its target group. Its outstanding characteristics are its broad, open approach, high transparency, easy access, and relative lack of bureaucracy. The program receives a high number of applications—even though there is no guarantee of funding due to budget constraints and despite significant problems, during market entry.
Program Anatomy: InnoRegio
The second example, BMBF's InnoRegio program, is aimed at strengthening the endogenous innovation potential of weak regions in eastern Germany by setting up sustainable innovation networks. A complex, "multiactor" program, it encompasses not only SMEs, large companies, and research organizations but also many other public and private activities and initiatives, funding both network
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management and projects aimed at developing products and services. Run as a competition, the program has three stages: a qualification round in which ideas are solicited for potential networking initiatives (444 proposals were submitted in 1999); a development round in which the regions selected (25 of the 444) refine their concepts and projects; and a realization round in which the winners (23 of the 25) receive multiyear financial support for their initiatives.
The InnoRegio program is linked to an increase in innovation activities. In the prior two years, two-fifths of the firms selected by the program have received patents and almost all have introduced new products. Since 2000, 50 new firms have also been founded. But this last fact is less impressive in Dr. Kuhlmann's judgment than, what he considered the program's main impact—i.e., the creation of innovation networks across eastern Germany that comprises both public and private actors. Nevertheless, he noted that "in East Germany there is still a tendency to expect public funding to be the main source of stimulus towards innovation." Moreover, although there is scant disagreement that networking is a basic precondition for innovation, the question of whether the impact of such initiatives will be sufficiently long-term, stable, and robust to justify the investment they require remains unanswered.
Germany's "Partnership for Innovation"
Taking up a theme that Dr. Dahlman had earlier discussed in the U.S. context, Dr. Kuhlmann suggested that, in light of the variety of public policies affecting innovation, major countries may see the need to introduce some kind of coordination and collaboration across the agencies responsible for such policies. Germany's current response, a federal innovation initiative, was born in October 2003, when Chancellor Schroeder summoned representatives of various stakeholders in the field—policy actors, public agencies, major companies, associations of SMEs, and major research organizations—to a forum where they debated challenges for the country's innovation performance. In the aftermath, they created the Partnership for Innovation and started some longer-term "pioneering" activities. The overarching aim of this initiative's broad agenda is to improve the framework for innovation in Germany through the collaboration of public and private actors.
The Partnership for Innovation had established a number of working groups of stakeholders, some of which Dr. Kuhlmann and his colleagues contribute to. "In some areas there is just talk, and they will continue just to talk," he said. But "in some areas these working groups have actually started policy initiatives, regulatory [and institutional] reforms, and so on."
Under the rubric of "High-tech Masterplan," an effort is under way to ease access to venture capital; while some activities it comprised had predated it, a high-tech startup fund was kicked off only weeks before the symposium with 10 million euros, and is expected to grow in time. As the initiative grouped such a wide variety of activities, its efficacy will not be easy to evaluate, he said.
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Germany's Future: Threats and Opportunities
To conclude, Dr. Kuhlman provided an appraisal of the threats and opportunities Germany was facing, as well as a rundown of the federal government's immediate priorities. He began his enumeration of the threats by emphasizing Germany's high degree of dependence on its automotive cluster. Even if it had not hurt the country yet, this dependence is leaving Germany open to challenge in the longer term, particularly from East Asian competition. Second, he cited an anticipated shortage in the supply of highly qualified labor, especially in the engineering field. Like their contemporaries in the United States and East Asia, young people in Germany are not studying engineering and science in sufficient numbers. But Germany is also laboring under the problem of not having a big enough population of high-skill workers and of having had, until recently, regulations restricting immigration of engineers and scientists. Third, he reiterated that the country's technological performance is losing momentum in some areas. Finally, he noted that public financing for the national science infrastructure is shrinking relative to financing coming from the private sector.
Nevertheless, Dr. Kuhlmann said, there were opportunities. The technological and marketing prowess of Germany's automotive sector might allow it to turn the challenge it was facing to its benefit. Efforts were being made to build on the strong position that Germany, like other traditional EU members, enjoy in the growing markets of both Eastern Europe and East Asia. The country has an excellent science base in such advanced fields as biotechnology, chemicals, and nanotechnology. And its labor force remains highly qualified, at least in comparative terms.
The Potential of European Integration
Finally, Dr. Kuhlmann expressed his personal conviction that Europe's integration, not in the political arena but in the area of research systems, could lend Germany's national system huge potential. Possessed of the biggest research system in Europe, Germany has in the past tended toward both a domestic orientation and a degree of complacency. Increasingly, however, major research organizations and individual researchers alike are learning that they needed not only to collaborate on the European level, but also to reestablish themselves institutionally in a European context, if they wished to avoid overlap and to create new clusters of strength with worldwide visibility and potential. These developments were so recent that, he cautioned, some of the impressions he was conveying were still in the realm of speculation. While the single market offered significant opportunity, national governments, and particularly the German government, were yet to comprehend the existence of this potential and the difference between national and European. While this had been the source of some difficulties for those in charge, there was, he asserted, "no alternative to more collaboration and integration on this level."
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Identifying the immediate priorities for the German federal government, Dr. Kuhlmann said there is recognition of a need to improve linkages within the country's fragmented research system, whose existing boundaries are rigid to the point that horizontal professional mobility was scarcely possible. Changes should, he recommended, be designed to take account of European integration as well. Meanwhile, work needed to reform the country's university system with the goal of achieving international excellence has begun, although in his own opinion, progress has been slow compared to that observed in other countries, both within and outside Europe.
Heikki Kotilainen
Tekes, Finland
Dr. Kotilainen expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to present Finland's "small-country approach to innovation policy." His presentation began with a very brief statistical overview, and continued with descriptions of Finland's innovation system. He concluded with examples of the system's achievements.
Before embarking on it, however, he would acknowledge a handful of factors that could be seen as drivers of change and, at the same time, challenges to be met. Various phenomena surrounding globalization discussed earlier are having quite an impact on Finland, as many companies move manufacturing and other operations to such countries as China, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Finland is also undergoing a very serious demographic change of the kind affecting all of Europe, a problem for which solutions are not yet become apparent. Sustainable development is another challenge commonly faced in the industrialized world, as is the management of knowledge and competence; in the latter, Finland, as a small country with limited resources, has to exercise great prudence.
Technology and networking are two drivers, or challenges, that Dr. Kotilainen viewed as one: When companies move, countries find themselves having to find new technologies to replace those that parted, while the companies, because they applied R&D independently of where it is performed, need to be on the lookout for technological and business alliances. Finally, he noted, change in the character and dynamics of innovation constitutes a challenge in itself.
Dr. Kotilainen noted that Finland is placed near the top of the world rankings in science and technology, second only to the United States. How could a small country whose only true natural resource are its people accomplish this? What had happened, he said, was that Finland's industrial structure changed tremendously over the previous four decades. The pulp-and-paper sector, which accounted for a little more than two-thirds of the country's exports in the 1960s, saw its share fall to below one-quarter by 2004, while exports in the electronics sector, including telecommunications, had taken off.
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FIGURE 10 R&D/GDP in Finland, 1981-2003.
A major factor in this change, according to Dr. Kotilainen, has been "conscious and continuous investment" by Finland that has raised its R&D spending as a percentage of GDP from around 1.5 percent in 1985 to nearly 3.5 percent by the beginning of the current decade. Coinciding with this increase has been the evolution of Finnish policy in the realm of science and technology (Figure 10). Even though Finland's science policies have been in place since the 1950s, technology policy formulation did not happen until the mid-1980s, following the establishment of Finland's Science and Technology Policy Council. It was only after it began to implement technology policy that innovation policy appeared on the agenda. While Dr. Kotilainen attributed this progression to chance rather than to any special wisdom—and noted that, in fact, a similar evolution can be seen in other countries—he said that it had turned out to be a fortunate one. For innovation policy, had it made its appearance prematurely, might have been met by silence from the government and suffered a consequent loss of credibility. "You cannot," he remarked, "jump from pure science to innovation immediately."
Dr. Kotilainen pointed out that private-sector spending has shown the most growth since 1985 and has accounted for some 70 percent of the current total investment, which has been running at around five billion euros annually. Even so, the public sector has been the prime mover: Only when the government began
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FIGURE 15 Federal support for innovation: Examples.
NOTE: Federal funding is labeled annual in some cases and in others covers the investment for the full period. (*)—Purchasing-Power Parity estimated at USD 0.85 per CDN dollar. (**)—Includes indirect costs of research and graduate student support.
(IRAP). But before turning to describe them, Dr. Nicholson estimated that the R&D tax credit generates a benefit of $1.5 billion to Canadian corporations conducting research. In cases of companies that are not publicly traded, he specified, these credits are refundable, so that benefits are not available only to firms that are turning a profit.
Posting a table containing data on his four selected programs (Figure 15), Dr. Nicholson noted that with the sole exception of IRAP, founded in 1962, they date from the previous decade. Still, all have enough experience that conclusions about their performance can be drawn. Pointing to the column that presents amounts of federal funding, he called attention to the fact that the Foundation for Innovation has invested the largest amount at $3.1 billion, and that the university research granting councils distribute just under $1.7 billion a year.
Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI): Building Leading-Edge Infrastructure
CFI, the first of the four programs to be described, was set up to cofund leading-edge research infrastructure in universities and hospitals in response to a precipitous mid-1990s decline in the quality of research infrastructure in
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Canadian universities—"another evil consequence," in Dr. Nicholson's words, "of the fiscal problem that the country was mired in." This foundation, which is government endowed, receives a grant worth a total of $3.1 billion in two or three installments; of that, it commits $2.5 billion to fund 4,000 projects through competition-based awards that are limited to 40 percent of project costs. In addition, there are special funds to encourage first-time researchers—a part of the program that has proved to be "extremely popular and high-leverage." There are also funds to help operate facilities, a "critically important" function because many advanced infrastructure components require highly technical operational assistance. Finally, funds are available to finance international collaboration. CFI's board, although it includes some government appointees, operates at arm's length from the government.
The objectives of the Canada Foundation for Innovation are fourfold:
to transform research and technology development in Canada;
to foster strategic research planning in universities, which Dr. Nicholson called an "interesting objective" and said had been "brilliantly achieved";
to attract and retain world-class researchers, something that was taking place as well, as he would demonstrate with figures in a moment; and
to promote collaboration and cross-disciplinarity, which he called "a huge success" of the program.
"The bottom line," he declared, "is that if you want to work at the leading edge, you need to have tools at the leading edge."
Fostering Strategic Research Planning
CFI's selection process begins with proposals that come almost exclusively from universities and research hospitals. These proposals are required to fit with an institution-wide strategic research plan at the applicant institution. Dr. Nicholson described the evaluation criteria as "fairly predictable"—research quality and need for infrastructure; contribution to innovation capacity building; and benefits to Canada. In a two-tier review, applications are grouped by subject matter and sent first to experts in their specific field, then to a multidisciplinary committee with the ability to make cross-area comparisons.
This selection process has forced institutions to develop long-term research plans and set priorities, in some cases for the first time. Its most significant consequence, in Dr. Nicholson's view, is that it has improved the quality of applications. Proposals worth $1.4 billion, a large percentage of them "absolutely top-drawer," were presented in the latest selection round even though the funding available covered only one-quarter of that sum. Every round, in fact, has raised the bar, with projects becoming larger and more complex. "While you would have expected that, once the low-hanging fruit was picked, the program might
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start running out of energy," he commented, but "exactly the opposite has happened." Collaboration among institutions has multiplied, research excellence has been stimulated at smaller universities as well as large, and most provinces have been led to establish similar programs at their own level. The latter are allowed to contribute to the 60 percent of complementary funding required by CFI, which has produced a "huge multiplier effect" within Canada's innovation system and has started to "put Canadian research opportunities on the world map."
A Virtuous Circle: Collaboration and Upgrading
CFI has "triggered a virtuous circle of collaboration and upgrading," Dr. Nicholson said, asserting that "strength begets strength." But, at the organizational level, he added there are three other lessons:
CFI's arm's-length institutional structure and governance make its decisions credible to the point of being virtually unassailable, "not an easy thing to do in modern democratic systems."
The endowed-foundation model has enabled CTI to plan beyond annual budget cycles. "They know how much money they have," he commented. "They always want more, but at least [they] know what [they're] playing with."
The incentives are right, so that if the objectives of the foundation are met, further government funding is expected. Such funding is "not necessary, because this is an endowment," he said, "but the board and the people who run this program understand what they have to do."
Still at issue, however, is the level of investment that is appropriate for CFI. "At what point do you stop?" he asked. "Or do you keep following this bootstrapping process to higher and higher levels?"
Canada Research Chairs: Complementing Infrastructure with Talent
A human-resource complement to CFI is the CRC, whose objective is to develop a cadre of world-class researchers to exploit the infrastructure built up under CFI. CRCs' 2,000 chairs support all subject domains; 1,400 are filled to date. The potential number of chairs allocated to each university depends on the proportion of research grants it wins in other national competitions, although a bonus is reserved for smaller institutions.
The CRCs are divided into two tiers. The first, for world leaders in their disciplines, is an award of seven years' duration, renewable indefinitely, at $170,000 in support per year; winners in this category have access to numerous other kinds of support as well. The second, for "exceptional young faculty," provides support for 5 years at $85,000 per year that was renewable just once, for another 5 years. Under the selection process, universities are expected to nominate candidates for
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the CRCs in line with the same institution-wide strategic research plan to which CFI applications need to conform. Winners are selected by a three-person review panel or, in the absence of a consensus among panel members, by a standing interdisciplinary adjudication committee. The approval rate has been running at 85 to 90 percent of submissions, and acceptance by those approved has been around 95 percent.
CRC's outcomes have been extremely positive. At first, universities tended to nominate their best faculty in hopes of keeping them—although the program did not, as it turned out, inspire significant poaching among institutions. The focus has since shifted to recruitment, evidenced by the fact that, more recently, about 40 percent of chairs have been awarded to nominees from outside Canada. The relationship between the winning of research grants and the potential number of chairs has increased general interest in both; more specifically, the CRC program has significantly improved the research capacity of smaller universities. Together, CRC and CFI have "powerfully boosted Canada's research capacity at the front end," Dr. Nicholson stated. The only cloud over CRC's success has been the underrepresentation of women, who hold only around 15 percent of chairs reserved for world leaders and 20 percent of chairs overall. "To some extent that may be a factor of age demographics still," he speculated, adding, "It's something the program managers are very concerned about."
Assistance to Industry: IRAP
Moving from support for basic research to support for industry, Dr. Nicholson next described the IRAP, which he called "the classic one in Canada for small-business innovation." Its funding, about $135 million a year, underwrites the activities of 260 Industrial Technology Advisors operating from 90 sites across the country who are available to all small businesses engaged in technology. About one-third of IRAP's budget goes to consulting advice, which absorbs about 50 percent of these specialized advisors' time; about two-thirds, 30 percent of which is subject to repayment, goes to project support. The scope of project support is quite broad, encompassing everything from feasibility studies and precompetitive R&D to international sourcing and youth hiring.
Of 12,000 clients served annually through the program, only 20 to 25 percent receive funding; the average level of such support is $30,000 per year, the maximum $425,000. Still, those 3,000 projects have encouraged formation of a network of 1,800 subcontractors, among them suppliers, consultants, universities, even the National Research Council. Dr. Nicholson called project approval "very fast"—2 weeks for projects under $12,000, up to one month for those up to $85,000. While pronouncing himself cautious about accepting existing evaluations of multipliers for IRAP spending, he quoted estimates as high as $12 in downstream investment for every dollar of spending on IRAP help, and up to 20 to 1 in sales or an equivalent. "The main point here," he said, "is that this is a real
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body-contact sport: These are people all over the country engaged face-to-face with small businesses."
One lessons from IRAP is that cost recovery for technical advisory services is unlikely to work. "Companies will not pay for what they don't know," said Dr. Nicholson, relaying wisdom from the program's director. Other noteworthy observations follow:
The consulting industry values IRAP advisors as prescreeners and referral agents and, seeing its relationship with IRAP as symbiotic, has not complained about the program.
The selection of sectors and topics of programs at this level needs to be client-driven.
Proposals are better assessed as and when they are received rather than in request-for-proposal batches, as the former procedure fits with the firm's innovation cycle and also avoids peak-load processing problems.
More focus is needed on mid-sized SMEs, those with 100-500 employees.
Increasingly, SMEs need to be connected with national and global innovation networks.
TPC: Risk-Sharing and "Repayability"
The purpose of Technology Partnerships Canada, which has functioned as the Defense Industry Productivity Program until 1996, is to risk-share industrial research and precompetitive development across a wide spectrum. Designed to address a "persistent and frustrating" gap in Canadian firms' development of new technology, it covers from 25 to 30 percent of the costs involved in R&D, development of prototypes, and testing. In addition to significant cofinancing by industry, it features repayability, which depends on results. Targeting firms of all sizes and partnering with IRAP for SMEs, TPC parses its activities into three rather broad sectors: aerospace/defense, which, if considered separately, raise the number of focus sectors to four; environmental technologies; and "enabling" technologies, including biotech, materials, and ICT.
Only the program's budget, about $250 million per year on average, imposes a limit on the size of individual projects. From 1966 through 2004 about $2.3 billion has been committed, a little over one-third of that amount to SMEs—which, however, account for 90 percent of the 673 projects supported. Three-fifths of all funding goes to the aerospace and defense sector. Dr. Nicholson said that, according to "fairly careful calculations," private-sector recipients have matched TPC investments at an average ratio of 4 to 1. Project selection, which at 12 to 18 months takes much longer than in the case of IRAP, begins with the screening of applications, usually taking the form of "skeleton outlines," by in-house experts. Winners at that stage are invited to submit full proposals, which become
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the object of detailed due diligence. Negotiation then follow, where repayability and intellectual property provisions are among the major items covered.
Criticisms from Public and Participants
Dr. Nicholson then identified a number of "conundrums" raised by TPC that he judged "fairly characteristic" of such programs. Chief among these, perhaps, are those centering on repayability. This feature has been "oversold a bit," creating expectations among the public that have not been met. "Only about 3 percent of the funds out the door have actually come back so far," he stated. "But the truth is that we knew there was a long lead time for the repayment to come back; and, in fact, the program managers claim that repayment is on schedule." Compounding the issue, designing repayment terms that properly reflect the program's risk/ reward-sharing component has been very difficult, since it was usually impossible to track what portion of a company's returns has accrued exclusively to a project supported by TPC.
The selection process has been another source of criticism. For one thing, project approval is protracted. For another, a perception exists in the political arena that TPC has been too focused on large companies—in particular, those in the aerospace sector—although the great majority of awards have in reality gone to SMEs. In addition, program objectives are so broad that it is difficult to maintain a consistent approach—or, put another way, there are so many grounds for approval that it is sometimes difficult to justify turning a project down. "That tends to invite a lot of objections from people who were disappointed," Dr. Nicholson said, "because someone can always find a precedent and say, 'But you approved that one, so what's wrong with me?'"
"What Does It Mean to Capture National Benefits?"
As "probably the most fundamental question" arising from the TPC experience, however, Dr. Nicholson cited the following: "In a world of global supply chains, what does it really mean to capture national benefits with programs like this?" Observing that many of the program's customers are multinationals—past TPC recipients include IBM, Pratt & Whitney, and RIM—he declared that it was "not quite clear that one can capture the benefits [for a national economy] to the extent that one once could."
Summing up, Dr. Nicholson expressed the opinion that Canada has rapidly built a strong basic research capacity that is paying off in terms of reputation and reversal of the country's brain drain. Its technology-development programs have evolved from subsidy-oriented to more sophisticated risk-sharing models, recalling a similar evolution in Finland. Finally, the lesson of Canada's experience, and one that he had seen reiterated throughout the morning's talks, is that any national innovation strategy today has to be globally linked.
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Having commended the speakers for being on target in their presentations, and noting that he had taken over as moderator from Mr. Knox, Dr. Wessner called on Mark Myers to open the questioning.
The Special Demands of German Integration
Dr. Myers asked Dr. Kuhlmann to assess innovation programs in Germany since reunification from the time perspectives of the former East and West, as well as to look at economic growth in eastern Germany and to compare it with that seen in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. He expressed a specific interest in the equalization of salaries that took place right at the moment of unification in Germany, remarking that the other countries enjoyed, during at least part of their own restructuring, the "advantages of lower wages."
Dr. Kuhlmann replied that the question had been debated in Germany as well, but that historical circumstances had left no alternative. The East European countries, having become EU members, were gradually availing themselves of the opportunities offered by "a European research system that is growing together." Salaries there had been relatively low 10 years ago but were slowly rising as those countries integrated with the European network. Thanks to this integration, he added, Eastern Europe can expect to develop advanced national research infrastructures in the longer term.
Germany's path had been different. Sudden integration caused a breakdown of the existing East German research system, which had not been compatible with that in the West. A marked brain drain resulted from salary discrepancies between the two regions: Especially early on, industrial researchers from eastern Germany found work with companies in western Germany and made their way there. Eastern Germany, meanwhile, was (and still is being) kept alive by huge public investments, without which there would be inadequate employment.
Innovation Policy—Also on the Demand Side?
Egils Milbergs of the Center for Accelerating Innovation, observing that most of the commentary from all three panelists had concerned enhancing innovation inputs—"more R&D, more scientists and engineers, more capital, etc."—suggested that a full discussion of innovation policy should include the demand side as well as the supply side. He urged consideration of macroeconomic policy's impact on innovation, specifically the role of interest rates; how tax policy affects the demand for innovation; standards; trade policy and how nations integrate with global markets; procurement policy; and competition policy. "It seems like there's an entire domain with huge influence on innovation that people who talk about national innovation systems don't really address in a meaningful way," he
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asserted. "They give recognition to these factors, but when you look at what the policies are, it's all about enhancing input, not maximizing output."
Canada: Political Obstacles on the Demand Side
Dr. Nicholson registered his agreement, saying that in his general policy role he probably spent more time on the demand side than on the supply side. But he allowed that, with the exception of tax cuts, the supply side is more visible politically because of the complexity of many demand-side issues, trade policy and competition policy being examples. Having spent most of his career in the private sector, he personally viewed competition as paramount: "Necessity is the mother of invention, there's no question about that," he said. "At the companies I've worked in, we were at our most inventive when the competition's breath was at our heels." This reality had been particularly salient as competition, once largely domestic, became global; finding a response to what was both a new source of demand and a challenge would occasion "a lot more head-scratching in all governments."
Against this backdrop, Canada has worked hard on its macroeconomic fundamentals, first getting control of monetary policy, then moving to fiscal policy. Amid massive tax cuts, its corporate tax rate is now down to below that of the United States. More recently, under a "smart regulations initiative" fueled by recommendations from a blue-ribbon panel for improvements in such areas as drug approval, the country has started to eliminate "the little differences that don't make a difference" but nevertheless interfered with trade across the U.S.-Canada border. Another area ripe for streamlining—admittedly, "a very dangerous word"—is environmental regulation. But while ample "low-hanging fruit" in the regulatory area offer ways in which "government policy [could] be helpful on the demand side of the equation," he said, "none is easy politically."
Germany: Trying To Go Beyond Classic Recipes
Dr. Kuhlmann also pronounced himself in agreement with the statement that far more elements of public policy have an impact on innovation than those included within the "narrow notion of innovation policy." As understanding of this area grew, European governments were more frequently becoming the object of criticism that their innovation programs did not take account of broader economic issues. Those formulating innovation policy, meanwhile, are finding themselves obliged to design their initiatives in the context of other policies whose impact on "what actually happens in companies" might be greater by far. Discussion of these questions is increasing in numerous European countries, Germany among them, although the debate is limited to experts rather than taking place among the general public.
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Former Chancellor Schroeder's Partnership for Innovation was an attempt at a systemic or holistic approach to influencing the basic conditions of innovation that went far beyond classical policy instruments. But, speaking from his experience with governments at different levels in Germany, Dr. Kuhlmann saw a problem in the prevalence of competition among agencies. Unlike some competition, this variety is not productive; rather, being rooted in claims by each agency that its work was more important than that of the others, it results in gridlock, "quite a mess from the perspective of innovating companies." Some degree of coordination, including some effort at mutual information and collaborative design, is therefore necessary.
In Finland, perhaps, designers of demand-oriented innovation policies ask "What is the problem, and what can we do about it?" rather than occupying themselves with the borders among ministries. Only at the end of the design process might they ask, "Who is in charge of what, and how would we have to redesign structures?" This sequence does not, however, represent the norm in public policy making in Germany.
Cross-Border Comparisons of Attitudes, Programs
Dr. Wessner then posed three questions that, although quick in the asking, he judged likely to demand lengthy responses. He requested that Dr. Nicholson, whom he complemented on a superb presentation, discuss how the Canadian government had dealt with what sounded like charges that some of its innovation programs were vehicles for corporate welfare that funneled the majority of available funding to large companies. Referring to the STEP Board's assessment of the U.S. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which was in progress, he described himself as having been heartened to hear that someone—in this case, Dr. Nicholson—shared his acquaintance with the difficulty of ascertaining the consequences of a single award for the future of a company.
He then asked Dr. Kotilainen whether he regarded the budget of the United States' Advanced Technology Program, which had been running at around $140 million per year, as adequate to the U.S. economy in light of the fact that Finland, a nation with 5.1 million inhabitants to the United States' 300 million, was spending between $530 million and $560 million annually on a very similar program.
Finally, Dr. Wessner said he had observed that while Europeans enthused over the creation of a European research space and innovation system, they often had barely concluded when they began speaking about their own national programs. He asked Dr. Kuhlman to talk about those two elements in relation to one another, then very briefly to discuss the impact of the EU programs, a subject Americans were very interested in, and to assess whether innovation efforts in Europe are primarily driven at the EU or national level.
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Parrying the "Corporate Welfare" Charge
Dr. Nicholson said that, as charges of corporate welfare are still to be heard, the problem that Dr. Wessner alluded to is yet to be solved. Because subsidies to business have been cut "pretty dramatically," however, he felt that "just in terms of the gross dollars" the critics could no longer make as strong a case. Canada's federal budget surpluses had also ameliorated the situation, by rendering the trade-offs less obvious. A more substantive change, the move to risk-sharing with repayability as featured in the Technology Partnerships Program, had placed a new obstacle before opponents of the programs, although they nonetheless took the line: "You haven't gotten all your money back yet, so obviously this must still be corporate welfare." Also helpful is that, increasingly, potential criticism is arising in the context of a local facility where a large number of jobs are at stake. Then, "frankly, the political shoe is sometimes on the other foot," Dr. Nicholson said, for "if there isn't a little bit of big-company support, there's a larger price to pay."
Administering Supply-, Demand-Side Policies Separately
Dr. Kotilainen began his response by taking up the issue of demand-side measures in support of innovation that Drs. Nicholson and Kuhlmann had previously addressed. At Tekes, he said, innovation policy is viewed as far broader than most other policies implemented by the government, including science policy, technology policy, and industrial policy. And because it incorporates elements of all the others, innovation policy is difficult and complex to run. "Therefore, we think we should concentrate on that," he said, "leaving the other policies to the private sector or to other parts of the government to take care of." Even though Tekes finances research, the main focus of its awards is always industrial competitiveness and networking, a strategy that leaves the rest to the companies themselves.
Addressing the matter of the Advanced Technology Program (ATP), Dr. Kotilainen emphasized its philosophical similarity to Finland's national innovation programs. Those programs have been extremely beneficial for the country because they combine the skills of its universities with those of its companies. Projects are planned jointly by the universities and industry from the very beginning, so that both know exactly what to expect from the research, and companies also got acquainted with university researchers, a very good basis for subsequent recruiting. This, he remarked, is an essential function no matter what the size of a country is. On the specific subject of ATP's annual budget, Dr. Kotilainen recommended that, rather than being cut, it should be favored with the addition to the end of a zero or two.
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Balancing Europeanization, National Programs
Dr. Wessner, announcing that the luncheon speaker had arrived and that the session would thus have to be concluded quickly, asked Dr. Kuhlmann to be brief in his remarks on the relationship between Europeanization and those national programs still in place within the EU.
Dr. Kuhlmann said he had speculated in a paper published just two weeks before on how "this very contradictory relationship," so fraught with tension at that moment, might develop in the future.10 There were some government officials who are opening up to collaboration across borders; there is, in fact, a program called ERA-net that funds only those intergovernmental collaborations aimed at developing joint national programs on a European platform. At the same time, however, other officials still fail to see the value of such efforts, whose very existence, at least partially, call into question their role as national policy makers.
J. Edler and S. Kuhlmann, "Towards One System? The European Research Area Initiative,Edler and S. Kuhlmann, "Towards One System? The European Research Area Initiative, the Integration of Research Systems and the Changing Leeway of National Policies," Technikfolgenabschätzung: Theorie und Praxis, 1(4):59-68. Accessed at <http://www.itas.fzk.de/tatup/051/edku05a.pdf>.


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Universe at War: Earth Assault - Games Trainer |
Universe at War: Earth Assault is set in the near-future when multiple factions from across the galaxy have come to Earth to wage epic warfare. Deadly sci-fi weapons and alien powers allow players to destroy cities and other territory while fighting for Earth. The game also allows players to retrain and customize units in the midst of battle, modify their weapons and defenses in real-time, and even control the development of technology that will help them to victory. |
Powerful forces from across the universe have brought war to our planet. In Universe at War, you take command of several unique factions with awesome powers and spectacular units. Control massive-scale alien war machines that are fully customizable. With "Tactical Dynamics," Universe at War's on-the-fly customization system, you can dynamically swap out weaponry, rework your tech tree, and retrain units in the middle of combat to thwart your foe and seize the advantage. Universe at War features large-scale environmental destruction in a persistent world - level a city and when you come back, the area will still be a smoking ruin. Here, though, the environments you fight for are close to home, as you wage war across familiar Earth cities and landmarks. Universe at War also introduces numerous innovative new multiplayer features inspired by today's top MMOs and competitive online games, giving players achievements, rewards, and medals in a balanced environment with intelligent matchmaking. Features:
Visit our CheatBook-Message-Board. Have questions about CheatBook-Database 2008? Or just want to talk about Cheats or games? Click here to go to the forums and register for free.

subset: commoncrawl


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Find out more at:TheSeventhLetter x Ironlak x Soundset
From 1bitsymphony " Tristan Perich's 1-Bit Symphony is an electronic composition in five movements on a single microchip. Though housed in a CD jewel case like his first circuit album (1-Bit Music 2004-05), 1-Bit Symphony is not a recording in the traditional sense; it literally "performs" its music live when turned on. A complete electronic circuit—programmed by the artist and assembled by hand—plays the music through a headphone jack mounted into the case itself. The album is available from Cantaloupe Music. "
Tristan Perich: 1-Bit Symphony (Part 1: Overview) from Tristan Perich on Vimeo.
Find out more @ http://www.1bitsymphony.com/#
Quote From Idan Friedman " All people featured in the project are part of my everyday life, ranging from close friends to passers-by. "
illustrations by daniel halyburton & jennifer herdVIA |


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Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954)(about) |
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A Marino Boy Puts Up a Record.
I MELBOURNE), Thursday. I
A claim to a new record baa jest b;cn put in on behalf of Jamel Elston, a schoolboy at Marin?, who has had one of hts legs b:oien five times during the last two years.


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Coconut Pu-erh Full-Leaf
Choose your variety.
Better with Age Tea High-moisture leaves are harvested in the Yunnan, China. A special oxidation and aging process yields an earthy flavor and aroma that is unique among black teas. This tea is enhanced with real coconut flakes resulting in a slightly sweet, fruity cup with a pleasant, smoky character. Can be infused many times.
- 5 Stars
Black Tea has less than half the amount of caffeine per cup than in a similar-sized cup of coffee. More about caffeine.
Steeping Instructions
Steeping black tea is easy. Simply heat fresh, filtered water to a rolling boil. Then pour water over tea and steep for 3-5 minutes if using a tea bag or full-leaf.
Finest Pu-ehr black tea blended with natural coconut flavors
Country of Origin
- 5 Stars
- 5
What our Citizens are saying about this great gift of the leaf...
2 Stars | Try a sample first | March 08, 2015 |
Vladinator New York, NY | I did not like it. Flavor is harsh, and overpowering, nothing mild about it. Could be my personal taste, but my recommendation would be to try a small sample first. After reading all these glorious reviews, I ordered a full size tin and now I don't know what to do with it. |
5 Stars | Coconut Pu-erh | February 14, 2015 |
Dana Pentwater, MI | My go-to tea when I need more caffeine. I love the bold coconut flavor. This is great hot or cold. |
5 Stars | pleasant and delicious | January 17, 2015 |
Allison NY, NY | This tea has a wonderful yet mild flavor. This has become my morning go-to tea. The coconut flakes add a nice touch but don't overwhelm the flavor. |
5 Stars | Best coffe replacement tea ever! | January 15, 2015 |
Becca Marietta, GA | Ordered some samples from RoT for the first time. I'm currently sipping this one now, it's amazing! I didn't know tea could taste this good! Love love love it! |
5 Stars | Favorite! | January 09, 2015 |
Amy Dayton, OH | This is currently my favorite tea! I love the coconut flavoring...not overbearing and not that "fake" flavoring. I enjoy the heartiness of the pu-erh. This is a real winner. |
5 Stars | Goodbye, coffee! | December 22, 2014 |
Jackie ROSWELL, GA | When my favorite coffee ceased to be manufactured, I first hunted for a different coffee to replace it. However, after finding no good replacements, I decided to try tea. My husband and I tried several varieties, and this one was the winner. It is excellent without milk or sugar and has enough caffeine without having too much (too much causes health issues for me). The taste is full-bodied, not bitter at all, and has a slight hint of coconut. Now I feel less jittery, sleep better, and feel more focused! I love the mental clarity I get from drinking tea! I'm also happier supporting The Republic of Tea, which is privately owned, and not a subsidiary of Kraft, etc. |
5 Stars | Tasty for Weight Management | August 20, 2014 |
Kim Springdale, MD | This tea is GREAT if you are trying to maintain or lose weight. One cup of this tea with a healthy snack or not and you are good! |
4 Stars | Yummmmm | July 22, 2014 |
Dana Pentwater, MI | This is a surprisingly good tea. You know the coconut is real not only because of the taste but there is a slight sheen of oil on the surface. Great flavor. |
5 Stars | obsessed | July 21, 2014 |
Sarah Greenbrae, CA | I am just so obsessed with this tea! I have given up coffee for this tea. I look forward to it every day. I have been known to buy up to 10 tins at a time because the grocery often sells out and fails to restock quickly. It really is the perfect morning black tea. While it should probably be consumed as is, I love to add a touch of raw honey and organic cream. It's such a delight and I adore starting my mornings with this tea. I even TRAVEL with it, that is how much I love it. So grateful I found the sip by sip program so I will NEVER be without again! |
5 Stars | Best Tea Ever | March 13, 2014 |
Nancy Johnson Kansas City, MO | Best tea I have ever had. Love the coconut flavor. I look forward to it every day. |
5 Stars | Earthy with a hint of summer | March 09, 2014 |
Robyn Sacramento, CA | This tea is wonderful! I bought this tea to share with my boyfriend, who has told me about how good pu-erh tea is when it's processed correctly. I bought this out of curiously, and now my boyfriend and I really love this tea! It has a very rich and dark flavor without being bitter. The touch of coconut flavor is very nice with the tea and gives a very slight sweetness to the drink. I felt there wasn't any need to add anything to this tea. Just steep, sip, and enjoy! |
5 Stars | Ordering up | January 01, 2014 |
Shannon Georgia, GA | I tried this tea last year in a taster tin to get free shipping on my order. Boy, was it a good choice! I'd never had a pu-erh tea before and was not expecting the slightly smoky/nutty flavor from it. I have to say, this is one of the best balanced teas I've had. The rich flavor is accented by a bit of coconut...and it just works. This is one of my new favorites and I just ordered the bulk bag to share with friends. |
5 Stars | Love it! | December 31, 2013 |
Lauren Lake Worth, FL | I was afraid this tea was going to be overly sweet but it's not! It's perfectly balanced! |
5 Stars | A new favorite | December 13, 2013 |
Mark Ellicott City, MD | A new favorite for me, this tea is excellent with just the right amount of coconut flavor. I like the "earthy" flavors also - quite well balanced. |
| Wonderful! | October 29, 2013 |
Robin Long Island, NY | I keep trying different teas, but this remains my favorite black tea. |
4 Stars | A favorite, with reservations | July 24, 2013 |
Sarah Las Vegas, NV | This is one of my favorites--really delicious tea. The puerh is smoky and creamy at the same time, and the coconut just puts it over the top, it's so good. My main issues are these: the puerh is actually just a touch harsh, in my opinion, almost stringent. Secondly, the tea leaves themselves appear to be preprocessed, as they are too small (read: crumbled) to stay contained in a plastic brew basket. These criticisms aside, I do absolutely love this tea. |
5 Stars | Best Tea | June 05, 2013 |
Karly Springfield, MO | This is my favorite tea ever. It's full bodied, coconut-y (but not too much) & perfect for anytime of day. I've had it plain & hot or iced and it's great both ways! I highly recommend it to anyone. |
5 Stars | The BEST! | December 31, 2012 |
Cheryl Barron Springdale, AR | This is my favorite tea now. I will buy the big bag next time. |
5 Stars | December 18, 2012 | |
Laura Boca Raton, FL | This tea is my favorite of all time! It is very tasty and decadent. You really feel like you are "cheating" just by adding some coconut milk and a little stevia! Your products are great! |
5 Stars | December 03, 2012 | |
Cortney Chicago, IL | The is my new favorite tea. It does have a nice coconut flavor, but I don't think it's too strong. You can re-steep this tea at least once after the initial use. I haven't tried more than that. Try it if you love coconut! |
5 Stars | Smooth and rich | December 01, 2012 |
Brianne Knoxville, TN | I ordered this tea immediately after reading the reviews it got, and I'm glad I did! The first brew was delicious, with just the faintest taste of coconut atop a hardy body; the second infusion was better, a little stronger, with more sweetness. This tea would be a great iced brew, and it's a great tea to unwind with. I'm never disappointed with Republic of Tea. |
5 Stars | Delicious | November 27, 2012 |
LD Nashville, TN | I love this tea! Such a wonderful flavor and color. It is my favorite morning tea now. |
5 Stars | i've said it before ... | November 14, 2012 |
terri wisconsin, WI | ... i'll say it again: this tea is wonderfully full-bodied, rich, warm, flavorful with a hint of natural sweet undertones. my previously non-tea-drinking, coconut-hating husband loves it & can't go a morning without. YUM!! |
5 Stars | Delicious! | November 10, 2012 |
Ellee Charlotte, NC | I can't seem to get enough of this. The coconut delivers a subtle & rich layer of flavor to this very dense, robust tea--even when brewing the leaves a second time! I could almost give up coffee, for it imparts a wonderful feeling of well-being without the caffeine jitters. I've also heard that Pu-erh has significant health benefits. |
5 Stars | Coconut Heaven | September 18, 2012 |
Laura N. , IL | This is such a rich-tasting tea! The coconut flavor blends PERFECTLY with the pu-erh. It is my new favorite tea! |
5 Stars | For All Pu-erh Lovers | September 04, 2012 |
Gale Sacramento, CA | This tea is delightful! I'm a big fan of pu-erh & I thoroughly enjoyed the coconut flavor. Will buy lots more. |
4 Stars | Coconut Pu-Erh | September 04, 2012 |
Joan Santa Clara, CA | This is a very yummy comforting tea. It is something you can enjoy piping hot or sip on it for hours. |
5 Stars | special tea | August 29, 2012 |
tbee Tati, FL | excellent natural taste of coconut in combination with black tea; great quality! |
4 Stars | Not a long leaf tea. | August 03, 2012 |
Becky Mobile, AL | I liked the smokey (like pipe tobacco) vanilla and subtle coconut flavor, but found that I was only able to reuse the leaves 2x (3 brewings). Also, it was a little more tannic than I had anticipated. I would recommend it with honey and milk. |
5 Stars | If you LOVE coconut | July 30, 2012 |
Pamela , WI | This is an amazing tea if you LOVE coconut. It isn't my favorite everyday tea (it's REALLY coconutty!), but it is a wonderful treat. I like this one much better warm than iced (I'm an iced tea fan). It makes a great dessert tea. |
5 Stars | July 16, 2012 | |
Kyme Springdale, MD | I love the taste of this tea!! I will 4ever and always be a fan of the Republic of Tea! I even have all my sisters and brother hooked! |
5 Stars | Smells Beautiful | June 14, 2012 |
Chrissy Cotati, CA | Love the smell and taste of this tea...will be ordering a lot more in the future!!! |
5 Stars | Very Yummy | June 10, 2012 |
Alicia Marietta, GA | This is a very pleasant tasting tea. I can infuse the leaves twice and still have a nice cup of tea. I enjoy the coconut flavor. |
5 Stars | June 08, 2012 | |
John , | Great tasting tea!!!! |
5 Stars | Love to blend this | May 28, 2012 |
Cindy Tempe, AZ | I'm fond of blending teas and this is my favorite. Love adding this to a basic Assam for a dark, rich, full-bodied tea with a hint of smokiness. The coconut also mellows it out and adds a nice touch. Anytime I need a good strong cup, this is the one I reach for. |
5 Stars | Delicious | May 25, 2012 |
John , | I do love a good cup of smoky puerh, and this just hits the spot. I prefer strong teas and this is malty and smooth. The coconut adds a creamy-sweet note that really pairs well with puerh's savory, woody undertones. I recommend it for anyone who likes puerh! |
5 Stars | Love it! | May 14, 2012 |
kimberly jacksonville beach, FL | This is tea is a very robust black tea with just hints of coconut. I don't use sugar or any other sweetener so perfer a hearty tea with a splash of flavor. |
5 Stars | April 30, 2012 | |
Donna , PA | Love it! Great coconut flavor. |
5 Stars | Rich, earthy, and delicious! | April 22, 2012 |
Chai Wallah Boston, MA | Not everyone likes the earthy smokiness of pu-erh. I'm not one of those people. I love how rich this tea was, it's just what I expect in a pu-erh and Yunnan tea. The coconut is a lovely compliment to it's earthiness. It almost has a dark chocolate aftertaste. I usually drink it with a touch of almond milk, but it holds its own very well on its own. |
5 Stars | My new favorite! | April 14, 2012 |
Betty Appleton, WI | My old favorite was chocolate covered strawberry pu-erh. When I could no longer find it I tried coconut pu-erh and fell in love! I like the body of pu-erh tea, not too smoky, earthy but not over-powering, and it is good for you. The mild coconut flavor adds interest without becoming the main flavor. I will definitely buy this again. |
5 Stars | A nice smoky, earthy cup | March 31, 2012 |
Roni , NY | This is a wonderful, rich, smoky tea. The coconut is a bright fruity accent to this earthy tea. This tea steeps to a dark bold color and flavor and is so rich, yet so smooth with no bitterness. I love this tea in the morning, it's such a wonderful treat to wake up to! Also, these leaves can be steeped multiple times. Fantastic tea!! |
5 Stars | March 28, 2012 | |
John , MO | Loved it but I wish it came in a teabag so I could take it to work. |
2 Stars | Not worth your money | March 27, 2012 |
Satsuki Brewster, NY | I taste the earthy black tea. And I taste the delicious coconut, but the quality of this black tea did not reach my standards AT ALL. It tastes like really low quality English breakfast(icky!) with a few coconut shredding thrown in. I'm appalled at the quality of this black tea. I'm glad I only bought the little tester tin. |
5 Stars | A Piece of Heave | March 16, 2012 |
John , | My new favorite tea. So sweet,flavorful and slightly smokey. This is my first foray into loose leaf tea and I am very satisfied with the results. Will definitely be buying this tea again. |
5 Stars | smoky, rich, deep | February 20, 2012 |
terri wisconsin, WI | my new favorite - steeped 3:55 it's wonderful with a splash of milk in the morning. smoky-sweet, very rich and full-bodied without any hint of bitterness or tannin. |
5 Stars | delightful not sweet | February 16, 2012 |
carollan Milwaykee, WI | I am happy I tried this tea. I was afraid it would be a sweet tea, but it isn't . It is a wonderful black tea with a hint of coconut that tastes like a fresh cracked open coconut. I really enjoy this flavor, one of several teas I have explored recently, instead of just drinking Oolong all the time, which is my favorite. I would highly recommend it. |
5 Stars | Very Desirable | December 09, 2011 |
Mike Hampton, NJ | This is a very unique flavor, though not in an undesirable way. Has notes of wood, smoke, and nice accents of steamed milk. Never had a pu-erh before but this is now my favorite. The coconut matches very well with the flavor. Good straight up or with milk. Second brewing just as flavorful as the first, going to try a third and maybe a fourth brewing :D |
5 Stars | Nice flavor for a black tea | November 16, 2011 |
Michelle Springfield, IL | I drink mostly green and white teas as I find the black teas too strong for me but I like this tea for a change of pace and I really like the coconut taste. Takes the sharpness off the black tea for me. Very nice quality. |
5 Stars | First Pu-erh Tea For Me And I Love It! | October 20, 2011 |
Tom Dallas, TX | Bought this as a taster to see if I would like it and wow it's good. Has a good coconut aroma and a smokey, milky taste to me. With a little sugar, it almost tastes like I've added milk. Will definitely buy this again. |
5 Stars | coconut pu-erh bliss! | July 14, 2011 |
John , OH | I'm a big fan of aged pu-erh teas - unique flavor! Great mixed with pieces of coconut. Great in the mornings or even after a meal. Its a plus this tea is gluten free!! |


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If the man enlisted in 1899 and was discharged in 1902, he wasn't serving in the Civil War at the time.
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September 17, 2012
How much must we shell out for downtown arena, Peter Adler asks?
By PETER ADLER
The Edmonton Commons @ The Edmonton Journal
So, the price of the proposed downtown arena's gone up even before the first shovel hit the ground. And not by just a few bucks, either.
City council said it … Continue reading
When do they decide when Taylor Hall is ready to play?
When Taylor Hall got that $42 million extension last month, he was skating at Perry Pearn's 3-on-3 camp. He wasn't hitting anybody and nobody was running into him, but this was a summer no-contact, lots of scrimmage deal so nobody … Continue reading
Williams-Sonoma opens Saturday at West Edmonton Mall
If your mouth waters over enamel and cast iron cookware, and your pulse races to imagine the latest iteration of flavoured oils for the kitchen (sweet basil, fresh ginger, warm nutmeg), you'll be thrilled to hear that Williams-Sonoma christens its … Continue reading
Album review: Mother Mother's The Sticks
Album: The Sticks
Artist: Mother Mother
(Last Gang)
Four out of five stars
Vancouver's Mother Mother seems to be developing an odd 'n' even pattern with albums. Their first and third — Touch Up and Eureka — were quirky art-pop … Continue reading
Theory of a Deadman and Big Wreck to visit Edmonton
Just call it the Theory of a Big Wreck trek.
Two of Canada's rock heavyweights, Theory of a Deadman and Big Wreck, are teaming up for a tour, including a Friday, Dec. 14 stop at the Shaw Conference Centre. … Continue reading
Baby M and the rush to judgment
Sixteen years ago, when I was a very new reporter with The Edmonton Journal, I wrote a series of stories about a multicultural outreach program for new immigrant mothers. I went with a Cantonese-speaking public health nurse to visit … Continue reading
Corb Lund: Friday, Dec. 7 at Edmonton Expo Centre
Local cowboy Corb Lund is spreading his Cabin Fever across Canada in November and December.
He'll perform Friday, Dec. 7 at the Edmonton Expo Centre, the third-last date on his 20-city tour. Tickets are $39.50 plus service charges. On sale: … Continue reading
Stocks, commodities drop after last week's big rally
Stocks and commodities are both taking a hit today following last week's explosive rally.
As of 2:49 pm EDT, all the major North American equity indexes were in the red, with Toronto's lead index down 39 points to 12.460.81, the … Continue reading


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Volunteer Fair Registration Form
Welcome to the Volunteer Fair Registration Form! We are excited to host your organization at this year's Volunteer Fair. Please fill in all of the following fields to register. An e-mail confirmation with more information about the day and the events will follow within a few days of submission.
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How to Create Podcasts
eBook (PDF), 12 Pages
Download immediately.
Podcasting is the latest method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio programs or videos, over the Internet for playback on personal computers or on portable music players. These broadcasts are rapidly becoming very popular on the Internet. What began as a way of broadcasting music to iPod devices (hence the term "podcast") has grown to include many kinds recordings that anyone can enjoy from any computer connected to the internet. It's now easy and cheap enough that people like you and I can add recordings to our own web sites or to the web site of our local genealogical society, historical society, or museum.
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Product Details
- Copyright
- by Dick Eastman (Standard Copyright License)
- Publisher
- Dick Eastman
- Published
- October 1, 2006
- Language
- English
- Pages
- 12
- File Format
- File Size
Formats for this Ebook
Required Software | Any PDF Reader, Apple Preview |
Supported Devices | Windows PC/PocketPC, Mac OS, Linux OS, Apple iPhone/iPod Touch... (See More) |
# of Devices | Unlimited |
Flowing Text / Pages | Pages |
Printable? | Yes |
Learn more about ebook formats and e-readers |
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We are currently working on some new material that we will be releasing on January 29th, 2015. This will be the most cohesive music we have ever produced, we are extremely excited to share it with you!
It's been a long time coming, but the guys have been working over this video since April and hope to release it by mid September. Denots would like to thank everyone involved in the making of this video and hope you all enjoy it!
Our 5th full length CD "Symphony of Frost and Fire" is now available in our local area, Idaho Falls. Still working on the Digital distribution, but it wont be long. Our 3rd Album is available at itunes, copy and paste this link http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dissonance-in-d-backwards/id348686262


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TV Info
Episode Premiere
March 09, 2012Distributor
ComedyShow Period
2011 - nowProduction Company
Broadway Video TelevisionCast and Crew
Jonathan KriselScreenwriter
Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, Karey Dornetto, Jonathan KriselMain Cast
- Fred Armisen as Various Characters
- Carrie Brownstein as Various Characters
- Jonathan Krisel
New brunch hotspot Fisherman's Porch gets a write-up in the local paper, prompting Peter and Nance to give it a try - only to find hundreds of others had the same idea. Portland's Mayor (Kyle MacLachlan) offers to take Fred and Carrie to brunch, but when the bridge is blocked he is forced to find alternate routes. Feminist bookstore owners Toni and Candace take physical measures to remove unwanted pedestrians in line for brunch in front of their store. Nance has Peter hold her spot while she gets her jacket, only to return to accusations that she is cutting the line. Two bouncers escort her to a crazed man (Tim Robbins) who metes out punishment for line cutters - and it is up to Peter to save her.